Cherbourg Mont Saint-Michel, D-Day Beaches & Normandy

Cruise ships dock at the Quai de France or the Quai de Normandie in Cherbourg's deep-water port. There is no tendering - you walk directly off the ship. The old town of Cherbourg is approximately a 15-minute walk from the pier. Your private driver-guide will meet you at the pier exit with a name sign, ready to depart immediately for Mont Saint-Michel or the D-Day beaches. Cherbourg cruise excursions depart directly from the cruise terminal - no additional transfer to a meeting point.

Mont Saint-Michel is approximately 130 kilometers south of Cherbourg cruise terminal - a drive of around 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours by private vehicle. Our Mont Saint-Michel shore excursion from Cherbourg runs 8 hours in total, giving you approximately 2.5 to 3 hours at the island itself - enough time to walk the causeway, visit the abbey interior, explore the medieval streets of the village, and have lunch before the return drive. Mont Saint-Michel is one of the most visited sites in France and one of the few UNESCO World Heritage sites that genuinely lives up to its reputation.

Yes - when you book the D-Day tour from Cherbourg, let us know your preference and your guide will tailor the itinerary accordingly. The American sector covers Omaha Beach, the Normandy American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer with its 9,387 white marble crosses overlooking the sea, and the Pointe du Hoc Ranger Memorial. The Canadian sector covers Juno Beach, the Juno Beach Centre museum, and the Canadian war cemetery at Beny-sur-Mer. Both sectors also include the Arromanches Mulberry Harbour remains, where the prefabricated port assembled by Allied engineers is still partially visible in the bay today.

With a typical 10-12 hour port day it is theoretically possible to visit both, but it makes for a very rushed day - Mont Saint-Michel alone is a 4-hour round trip from Cherbourg before you set foot on the island. We recommend choosing one destination and doing it properly. Guests who have previously visited the D-Day beaches tend to choose Mont Saint-Michel, and those who have seen the abbey before tend to focus on the landing beaches. Both are equally rewarding and neither should be rushed.

Our back-to-ship guarantee means that if an unforeseen delay during your private Cherbourg cruise excursion prevents you from returning to the pier before your ship departs, we will arrange and cover the cost of transportation to your next port of call. This guarantee applies to all private shore excursions and day trips booked through us from Cherbourg, France. Your tour must be scheduled to return 1.5 hours before the ship departs.